Lüneburg Heath Nature Park

It is one of the first of the 105 nature parks in Germany - and a very special one. On these pages, we would like to introduce you to Lüneburg Heath Nature Park.

Nature parks are large protected landscapes and a protection category under the Federal Nature Conservation Act. They mainly consist of landscape and nature conservation areas and are particularly suitable for recreation because of their attractive landscapes. Nature parks aim to balance unspoilt nature, economic prosperity and high quality of life. They are role models for the development of rural areas.

On the Lüneburg Heath
In that beautiful land
I went up and I went down
All sorts on the way I found

(Quotation: Hermann Löns)

In Germany, there are over one hundred especially valuable cultural landscapes which are protected as nature parks. They all preserve and develop something unique and aim to inspire and raise awareness. Lüneburg Heath Nature Park was one of the first nature parks to be established in Germany and today it is one of the largest and most famous of its kind. It stretches over more than 107,000 hectares and includes the largest contiguous heathlands in Central Europe. These are located in Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve around Wilseder Berg, in the heart of the Nature Park. Wetlands, old forests, heathland streams and rivers, as well as dynamic villages with old farms and thatched houses are also components of this unique cultural landscape which are worth protecting and experiencing.

Today Lüneburg Heath Nature Park is many things at once: a recreation area for locals and tourists, a large-scale protected area with numerous animal and plant species, as well as a rural development area. To illustrate the variety of topics, people and tasks involved, this section of our homepage provides you with further information on the following:

  • Objectives and responsibilities of the Nature Park
  • Our mission statement
  • Geographical location and boundaries
  • Protected areas within the Nature Park
  • Board of trustees of the Nature Park
  • Stakeholders and places
  • The history of the Nature Park